Concept 2 of 5
Map Directions: Above, Below, Left, Right
Today's big idea
On a map the top is always North, the right East, the bottom South and the left West.
Higher up the page means further north, whatever the ground itself looks like.
How it works
👀 What's going on?
A map does not care which way you are standing. Wherever you hold it, the top of the paper means the same thing, and that is what makes a map easier than a compass.
💡 Here's the trick
Look at the map above. The top edge is always North, the right is East, the bottom is South and the left is West. The word NEWS wraps round in that order and never changes. So a place drawn higher up the page is north of a place drawn lower down.
🪄 How to do it
- 1.Find both places on the map above.
- 2.Ask whether the first is higher, lower, further right or further left than the second.
- 3.Turn that into a direction: higher is north, right is east, and so on.
✍️ Try it
The hospital is drawn below the station. Which direction is it from the station? Then: the well is drawn to the left of the temple.
Below means south, so the hospital is South of the station. Left means west, so the well is West of the temple.
⚠️ Watch out
You might be thinking a direction works only one way round. It does not. If the school is north of the park, then the park is south of the school. Questions often show you one version and then ask for the other.
🌟 Why this matters
Finding a street on a map, or working out which exit to take, is this and nothing more. Knowing that the top of the page is north makes every map in the world readable.
Exam tip: Read carefully which place the question is measuring from, because swapping them flips the answer.
Watch me solve one
Quanta solves it
“Watch how I think through one of these — then you try.”
THE PROBLEM
“On a map, the school is directly ABOVE the park. What direction is the school from the park?”
- 1
Set up the NEWS rule
Top = North, right = East, bottom = South, left = West.
- 2
Read the picture
The school is ABOVE the park.
- 3
Above = North
So the school sits to the North of the park.
- 4
Answer ✓
School is North of the park
Now you try one — same steps, different story 👇
See it in action
⚡ Time to play!
On the map, which direction is the park from the school?
MAP · ROUND 1 OF 3
↑ N
Quick check
✅ VERIFICATION
On a map, the bank is east of the post office. Where is the bank drawn on the page?
⚡ Finish the activity above first to answer.
Keep going!
Up next: Path Walking
Up + right = NE. Down + left = SW.